The Ravens have been the most balanced team in the NFL since week 8.
If you just take the numbers since the Billick offensive takeover, Ravens have averaged 344.5 total yards and 24.1 points per game (as opposed to Fassel's 271.6 yds and 18.3 ppg.) Inserting Billick's #'s with current NFL team stats, Ravens rank 8th overall offensively and 7th in p.p.g. (just ahead of Bengals, really). If these balanced trends continue, Ravens will be very tough.

The only way I would have thought they'd make it back under #20 is if you told me Testaverde was back at QB and Marchibroda as Offensive Coordinator.

Mike,

Stop looking at the stats. They are garbage. I was never more sure until last night. I watched the alleged #1 run defense in the NFL, the Minnesota Vikings, play defense. I quickly found out why they are #1. Their pass defense is so bad that teams just throw the ball all game on them. Unbelievable that STATISTICALLY, that team will go down as one of the best run defenses in the game.

Once JO is back, we have to be running it to the left as much as we can. Jamal is actually frightened to run to the right, he's always cutting back to the left when Billick calls it to Pashos' side.

We also have to make sure to get Clayton involved in the offense. The team isn't the same when Clayton isn't touching the ball.

Give McNair more play-action too, that's where he was doing most of his damage anyways.

If we do that, we're pretty tough to stop.

If they have climbed 10 spots since the Fassel move, where does the offense sit within the rest of the league during this period? My guess is that they have already broken into the range of being EXTREMELY balanced over the last half of the season. The point is - we are most likely already there!

The stats don't show that Billick is very conservative offensively once he has a lead and time is running down. He's into running down the clock and making the other team score against our great defense. He doesn't run up the score. Remember when he ran on 4th down instead of kicking a field goal. So the stats could be much better. I think our offense is better than what the stats show.

Mr. Preston, please ifnd a team you'd like to cover because you do not like covering the Ravens. They have been awesome under Billick's play calling, much better than 19th if you take out the games before he took over the offense. How about some positive coverage!

Mike,
I was glad to read your comment that Coach Billick and you have had a very civil relationship this season. Kudos to both of you!

Question: Could you possibly find out where the Ravens offense ranks, from week 8 through the present, since Brian took over the play-calling?